THE PERSONAL FEATURES OF SEAFARERS AS FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CHOICE OF COPING STRATEGIES WHEN WORKING IN SPECIAL CONDITIONS

Abstract

This paper is devoted to consideration of the concept about coping strategies and their varieties; the specifics of the seafarers work as a sphere of an extreme situation; the concept of personal characteristics and protective mechanisms. The object of the study is the relationship of the personal characteristics of seafarers with the choice of coping strategies. The subject of the research is coping strategies as a system of psychological defense mechanisms and patterns of overcoming behavior in seafarers.
The problems of strategies of stress-overcoming are considered on the example of the professional work of maritime transport workers. Serious attention is paid to the study of the relationship of strategies of stress-overcoming behavior that an individual applies with his/her emotional state and success in social and other spheres of life. The stress conditions and the complex specific nature of the activities of the maritime transport worker have been determined, which to a large extent predetermine the need for psychological components of readiness for this kind of service. Stressful conditions and complex nature of the activities of the maritime transport worker largely determine the need for psychological components of readiness for this kind of service.
The specifics of the seafarers work is such that this type of activity is of particular interest when studying a person who is in an extreme situation, which is the field of activity of water transport specialists.
The specificity of the activity is associated with social isolation, sensory isolation, cumulative effects of rolling and vibration, climate-zonal contrasts, round-the-clock work, increased intensity, intensity of work and requires the concentration of physical and psychological forces from a professional. Expeditionary-rotational method of organizing the work of seafarers, the repeated movement of ships over long distances with the intersection of several time zones make high demands on the human body due to changes in seasonal and daily rhythms against the background of an incomplete adaptation of man to the changed environmental conditions. All these and a number of other factors affect everyone on board. Meanwhile, the majority of maritime educational institutions are mainly engaged only in the training of specialists and practically do not deal with issues related to the mental health of seafarers.
Using the methods of theoretical analysis, the mechanism of a person’s psychological coping in difficult life situations is considered, which largely determines the effectiveness of his socio-psychological adaptation to changing environmental conditions.
The features of stress-overcoming behavior in the professional field of seafarers are analyzed. We emphasized the need to improve the professional level, the ability to resist all sorts of difficulties, the search for a way out of difficult situations, the use of non-standard solutions, the implementation of emotional control over themselves. The correlation interrelation of types of psychological defenses with behavioral characteristics in the professional activities of seafarers is considered. It is indicated that the need primarily for emotional support is manifested in the desire to be listened to, to receive an empathetic answer, to share with someone their experiences. The factor of search for mainly effective support is noted, the leading one of which is the need. The purpose of the study is due to the study of the relationship of personality characteristics and coping-behavior of sailors in a stressful situation.
Thus, according to the primary results of the study, the following conclusions can be drawn: it is customary to understand the constantly changing behavioral and cognitive attempts of a person to cope with special internal or external requirements, estimated as stress or exceeding the individual’s ability to overcome them. The highest rate about selectivity of the negation strategies and regression among sailors followed by substitution and intellectualization, as well as repression, projection and reactive formation. The lowest indicator of the chosen compensation strategy is also highlighted.
Also affected the problem of nautical educational institutions that are engaged in the preparation of future specialists, but do not pay enough attention to issues related to the mental health of seafarers.